White Pass Expected to be Closed Through Weekend

White Pass, WASH - What was going to be a 20 minute closure of Highway 12 Wednesday may now extend through the weekend. Road crews are dealing with an unexpected rock slide near White Pass. There were rocks the size of refridgerators that fell down. About an eight foot deep area of rocks is sitting on the road.

Wednesday, road crews planned to just remove one area of loose rocks on a slope. When more rocks than expected came down they discovered there were more dangerous areas to be worked on.

Where Highway 12 and SR-123 connect all the way to the summit at White Pass is closed.

"We have a large mass of rock up there that is some what unstable at the moment and so untill we can secure that we'll either have to bring it down or secure it in place, so we'll likely remain closed," says Kirk Holyoat of the Washington State DOT.

Holyoat went on to say the DOT hopes to have both lanes opened by Sunday night. It could take even longer or shorter depending on what they find in further inspections.

If you are heading west this weekend the fastest detours will be Highway 410 through Chinook Pass or I-90.